McIlroy trailing in Korea

US Open champion Rory McIlroy closed with a bogey six to card a three under 68 and finish a stroke behind leaders Ricky Fowler and YE Yang after the first round of the OneAsia Tour’s Kolon Korea Open.

The 22-year old world No 3 fired seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey six at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club as Fowler and former US PGA champion Yang hit 67’s. Click here for scoring.

McIlroy raced to the turn in 33 following birdies at the first and par-five fifth and eighth holes. But he came home in level par 35 as he followed a bogey at the 10th and a double bogey six at the 11th, where he found water.

He bounced back with birdies at the 12, 14th, 15th and 17th before that closing bogey at the par-five 18th.

“I felt like I played well. I started nicely and I was three under through nine holes, but I had a bad couple of holes on the back nine at 10 and 11 with a bogey and a double bogey,” he said.

“I did well from there to birdie four of the next six holes to get back to four-under-par, but then I was disappointed to bogey the last. But overall, it is a good start and something to build on.

“The shot on 11 was just a bad shot, while on 18 the wind just grabbed it. I was aggressive, but I want to play aggressively.”

Fowler also had a pair of sixes on his card as he bogeyed the par-five eighth and 18th holes. However, the American world No 36 had six birdies on his card as he set the clubhouse target with a 67.

Yang birdied the last to join him in top spot but McIlroy’s bogey relegated him to a share of third with Korean amateur Soo-min Lee and compatriot Soon-sang Hong.

McIlroy second as Fowler earns maiden win

US Open champion Rory McIlroy added US$81,622 to his bank balance, not including what is believed to be a six figure appearance fee, when he finished six shots behind winner Rickie Fowler in the Kolon Korea Open.

McIlroy two off the pace in Korea

CHEONAN, Korea, Oct 18 – Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland in action on Friday 18 October, 2013, during the second round of the Kolon Korea Open at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club near Cheonan, south of the capital Seoul. The one billion won (around U.S. $950,000) tournament is part of the OneAsia circuit. Picture by Paul Lakatos/OneAsia.Rory McIlroy is lurking just two strokes behind world No 539 Hong Soon-sang with two rounds to go in the OneAsia Tour’s Kolon Korea Open near Seoul.

Erratic McIlroy 10 behind in Korea

CHEONAN, Korea, Oct 18 – Rory McIlroy in action in Saturday’s third round of the Kolon Korea Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/OneAsia.Rory McIlroy had a bad day on the greens as he made just one birdie in a third round 75 and trails Korea’s Kim Hyung-tae by 10 shots heading into the final round of the OneAsia Tour’s Kolon Korea Open.